Title of Outcome Measure (Improvement Target): IT-6.1: Percent Improvement over Baseline
of Patient Satisfaction Scores
Unique RHP outcome identification number(s): 196822901.3.1, 196822901.3.2,
196822901.3.3
Outcome Measure Description:
To achieve improvement under this metric, Sierra East will engage in project planning during DY
2. In DY 3, Sierra East will apply the planning developed in DY 2 in order to determine baseline
rates for future DYs. In DY 4, Sierra East intends to improve its patient satisfaction scores by at
least 2.5% over the baseline recorded in DY 3 for the following areas: (1) patients’ rating of
whether patients are getting timely care, appointments, and information; (2) patients’ rating of
how well their doctors communicate; (3) patients’ rating of doctor access to specialist. In DY 5,
Sierra East intends to improve its patient satisfaction scores by at least 2.5% over the DY 4
measurement in the same areas.
Process Milestones:
 DY2:
o P-1 – Project planning – engage stakeholders, identify current capacity and
needed resources, determine timelines and document implementation plans
 DY3:
o P-2 – Establish baseline rates
Outcome Improvement Targets for each year:
 DY4:
o IT-6.1: Percent improvement over baseline of patient satisfaction scores—
patient’s rating of whether patient is getting timely care, appointments, and
information—2.5% improvement over DY3
 DY5:
o IT-6.1: Percent improvement over baseline of patient satisfaction scores—
patient’s rating of whether patient is getting timely care, appointments, and
information—2.5% improvement over DY4
Rationale:
The El Paso area faces several major healthcare challenges, including a lack of primary care
capacity, which can result in negative utilization patterns such as ED overutilization. Improper
utilization results in lower levels of patient satisfaction with the care received, since it is not the
level of care or type of care most appropriate to the patient’s condition. This challenge will be
addressed by Sierra East’s Expand Primary Care Access project (196822901.1.1), and Sierra East
expects to see an improvement in patient satisfaction as a result of the associated Category 1
project.
Another challenge which El Paso faces to a greater extent than other regions of the state is the
challenge of providing culturally competent care to the region’s large Hispanic patient
population. A deficiency of proper, culturally-aware communication by physicians, hospital
staff, and other providers will result in lower levels of patient satisfaction. This challenge will be
addressed by Sierra East’s Enhance Interpretation Services and Culturally Competent Care
project (196822901.1.2), and Sierra East expects to see an improvement in patient satisfaction
as a result of the associated Category 1 project.
Finally, the El Paso area must address the challenges presented by the serious regional lack of
specialty care capacity. Prompt access to specialty care will make it possible for patients to
better manage their chronic health problems, resulting in better utilization of the resources
available in the El Paso community of providers, and less utilization of expensive and inefficient
healthcare sites such as Emergency Departments. Improper utilization results in lower levels of
patient satisfaction with the care received, since it is not the level of care or type of care most
appropriate to the patient’s condition. This challenge will be addressed by Sierra East’s Expand
Specialty Care Capacity project (196822901.1.3), and Sierra East expects to see an improvement
in patient satisfaction as a result of the associated Category 1 project.
Outcome Measure Valuation:
$2,698,794. In determining the value of this outcome measure, Sierra East considered the
extent to which an improvement in patient satisfaction scores will address the community’s
needs, the population which this improvement will serve, the resources and cost necessary to
realize the improvement, and the improvement’s conformity to the goals of the Waiver
(including supporting the development of a coordinated care delivery system, improving
outcomes while containing costs, and improving the healthcare infrastructure). Specifically, the
valuation of this outcome measure takes into account the fact that patient satisfaction scores in
the identified areas will be a good indicator of whether Sierra East’s related Category 1 projects
are successful in their goals. The valuation of this outcome measure also takes into account the
challenges which Sierra East will face in maintaining a patient satisfaction survey system
appropriate to the patient populations served.
Tenet plans to implement a similar Category 3 project at its Providence Memorial Hospital
location, serving a different geographic area of the city. The disparity in valuation between this
Providence project and the similar Sierra East project is due to the fact that Providence is a
much larger facility than Sierra East (with 508 beds, compared to 110 at Sierra East) and
accounts for 270% more Medicaid and uninsured days than Sierra East.
196822901.3.1, 196822901.3.2,
196822901.3.3
3.IT-6.1
Percent Improvement Over Baseline of Patient Satisfaction Scores
Sierra Providence East Medical Center
196822901
Related Category 1 or 2 Projects::
196822901.1.1, 196822901.1.2, 196822901.1.3
Starting Point/Baseline:
TBD
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
(10/1/2012 – 9/30/2013)
(10/1/2013 – 9/30/2014)
(10/1/2014 – 9/30/2015)
(10/1/2015 – 9/30/2016)
Process Milestone 1 [P-1]: Project Process Milestone 2 [P-2]:
Outcome Improvement Target 1
Outcome Improvement Target 2
planning—engage stakeholders,
Establish baseline rates.
[IT-6.1]: Percent improvement
[IT-6.1]: Percent improvement
identify current capacity and
Data Source: EHR; claims.
over baseline of patient
over baseline of patient
needed resources, determine
satisfaction scores.
satisfaction scores.
timelines, and document
Process Milestone 3 Estimated
Improvement Target: 2.5%
Improvement Target: 2.5%
implementation plans.
Incentive Payment: $369,466
improvement over DY3.
improvement over DY4.
Data Source: Documentation of
Data Source: Patient survey.
Data Source: Patient survey.
project planning
Outcome Improvement Target 1
Outcome Improvement Target 2
Process Milestone 1 Estimated
Estimated Incentive Payment:
Estimated Incentive Payment:
Incentive Payment: $318,744
$592,864
$1,417,719
Year 2 Estimated Outcome
Year 3 Estimated Outcome
Year 4 Estimated Outcome
Amount: $318,744
Amount: $369,466
Amount: $592,864
TOTAL ESTIMATED INCENTIVE PAYMENTS FOR 4-YEAR PERIOD: $2,698,794
94571.2
Year 5 Estimated Outcome
Amount: $1,417,719